How Do We Accomplish Large Population Screening?

If 10% or less of a population of patients at any given time, such as those suffering from PD, qualify for a surgery(7) that may have a dramatic impact on their quality of life, how do we effectively screen these patients. We have answered this question at our center, and in surrounding practices in the state of Florida by disseminating the FLASQ-PD surgical questionnaire. It is a simple tool designed for general neurologists, practitioners, or qualified health care providers to make quick decisions as to suitable candidates to refer for surgery.

The questionnaire is also suggestible, meaning that if you do not achieve a high enough score for surgery, you may attempt to modify factors that can later improve your score on a follow-up administration of the survey. There are no such tools available at this time for the other disorders, however a reasonable standard would be to refer patients to an experienced movement disorders neurologist if their symptoms are medically refractory, and they are not demented.